Almond Ponge is a current doctoral student in Piano Performance at the University of South Carolina. He holds a Graduate Certificate in Piano Performance from the University of South Carolina, a Master’s degree in Piano Performance from Winthrop University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines.  Almond has performed in various music clubs and retirement communities in Columbia as a guest soloist and has collaborated with choirs and soloists as an assisting artist. He won the state representative division in the South Carolina MTNA Young Artist Competition (2016) and has received numerous awards during his studies in the United States and in the Philippines. He took part in several events of the Piano Teacher’s Guild of the Philippines both as a soloist and as member of a 10-grand piano ensemble. As a piano teacher, Almond has experience teaching private lessons, and group piano classes. He has also been involved with community outreach programs through the University of South Carolina and the MTNA collegiate chapter.  Almond also enjoys singing and has constantly participated in choral ensembles during his studies. He recently joined the University of South Carolina Concert Choir on their European Tour at the end of 2018. Almond believes that learning music should be a fun, engaging, and positive experience; and he hopes to ignite the same passion and love for music that he has for all of his students!